1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to scales and, more particularly, to a scale having a lever mechanism connected to the scale frame through flexible connectors.
2. History of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with scale designs. Such scales are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,026. They are known as rigid scales, i.e., a scale in which the moving parts merely make virtual movements. A dynamometer cell with oscillating strings is usually used as the load lifter, which sends an output signal to some sort of indicator or display device. In principle, it is assumed that all components of such scales, i.e., the frame, platform, arm and lifter, are of rigid design to prevent any bending under the load. Taking rigid design requirements into account, the components are always made heavy and strong enough [to withstand anticipated loads]. Undesirable elasticity that may occur in the couplings as the arm is bent is thereby eliminated.
The heavy design of such components has the disadvantage of making the scale excessively tall, in addition to increasing costs. Since there is an increasing demand for smaller scales, the arms cannot always be made strong enough to rule out any possibility of bending, since they must be as flat as possible. In known scales, this is allowed for by designing couplings that bend accordingly. But this entails the disadvantage of less strength while very little height is saved and it is considerably more expensive to manufacture such couplings than to use conventional couplings such as swivel joints and pins.
It would be an advantage, therefore, to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an improved scale that, on one hand, can be built in a low design, but which, on the other hand, eliminates elasticity in the couplings caused by any bending of the arm without requiring any specially designed couplings. The present invention provides such a scale and the advantages thereof.